Mum of Croydon ecstasy death teen Daniel Spargo-Mabbs held son as he died

Daniel Spargo-Mabbs

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The heartbroken mother of Daniel Spargo-Mabbs who took a fatal dose of ecstasy at a rave has described how she held him as he died.

Fiona Spargo-Mabbs, 46, said she always thought that her son Daniel, who wanted to join the Army and then become an English teacher, could "change the world".

He fell ill after taking ecstasy at a rave in Hayes, west London, in the early hours of Saturday and, despite hospital treatment, died on Monday.

Mrs Spargo-Mabbs said: "He could have gone to Afghanistan and been blown to smithereens, but I got to hold him while he died. It was so peaceful and we all got to say goodbye and we were all with him."

The family had known a relative who had battled drug addiction and seen the negative effects, but the mother of two warned other parents not to be naive about their children taking illegal substances.

"We have seen at first hand the effect of addiction and the knock-on effect on the wider family, and he knew what that looked like," she said.

"We told him just don't even do it once. You just don't know if that's going to be you. But Daniel would have known people that would have done it and said it was amazing.

"However good they are and however much you think you know what they might be aware of, if you've got a teenager they will know people who have taken drugs. And it's frighteningly cheap, it's pocket money."

She has been told that Daniel spent £20 on the drug, which was soluble in water.

His parents have left his bed unmade in his bedroom at their home in Croydon, south London, which has a collage of photographs stuck to the walls and a Prom King certificate from last summer.

Daniel's father Tim opens and closes the curtains each day.

He said: "He is never coming back. Nobody is ever going to sleep in that bed again, he will never enter this house again.

"What used to be a lively vibrant room is now still and empty and quiet. It's just awful."

The couple, who also have an 18-year-old son, Jacob, have had messages of support from all over the world including Australia, Cambodia, India and the United States, and hope to raise awareness of the dangers of drug-taking.

Adult education manager Mrs Spargo-Mabbs said: "I always thought Dan could change the world. He was an amazing boy and I always thought he was going to do amazing things.

"If something good can come from this awful thing and if something amazing can come from this awful thing then that would be Dan, he would be so behind us doing this."

Keen guitar player Daniel was passionate about political issues and often asked his mother her opinions.

Mrs Spargo-Mabbs said: "He was a good kid and he had never done this before. He was a good kid with a sense of adventure and he would have thought that this was going to be an amazing experience. He didn't think it would be him.

"If it can happen to him, it can happen to any good kid across the land.

"He was just such a fantastic boy and he was such an active part of our lives and we just feel so incredibly blessed to have had him in our lives for getting on for 17 years. He really was special. We had him all that time and we might not have had him at all."

He was also keen to help his parents in the house and had taken up photography with his father.

Mr Spargo-Mabbs, who works with people with learning disabilities, treasures a memory of the two of them walking in Cumbria, when he took a photo of Daniel being soaked by a sheepdog.

His wife made a point of hugging and kissing her sons each time they left the house, after she heard the mother of murdered Jimmy Mizen mention the comfort she got from their final goodbye.

Mrs Spargo-Mabbs said: "He knew that I loved him and I know that he loved me. Every time he texted me, he always put two little kisses at the end.

"I feel so thankful to Margaret Mizen for giving that to me after her awful tragedy."

A post-mortem examination is due to take place today.

:: Two men have been charged with being concerned in the supply of Class A drugs following Daniel's death.

Nicqueel Pitrora, 18, from Croydon, and Ryan Kirk, 20, from Beckenham, both south London, appeared at Uxbridge Magistrates' Court yesterday and are next due at Isleworth Crown Court on February 5.

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